YOUR TRUSTED AGRICULTURE SOURCE IN THE CAROLINAS SINCE 1974

Brooke Rollins confirmed as Trump’s agriculture secretary as tariff fights loom

Brooke Rollins confirmed as Trump’s agriculture secretary as tariff fights loom

Feb 13, 2025 | 4:24pm
WASHINGTON (AP) — Brooke Rollins has been confirmed as secretary of agriculture. The Senate confirmed Rollins in a vote Thursday, placing a close ally of President Donald Trump into a key Cabinet position at a time when mass deportation plans could lead to farm labor shortages and tariffs could hit agricultural exports. Rollins acknowledged that Trump’s plans for the mass deportation of people in the country illegally could led to labor shortages on arms. But Rollins said Americans support Trump’s plans and she would work to help the president while also trying to protect farmers. Rollins also promised to “modernize” USDA in line with Trump’s vision for the department.
US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing

US eggs prices hit a record high of $4.95 and are likely to keep climbing

Feb 12, 2025 | 2:11pm
OMAHA, Neb. (AP) — Egg prices have reached a record high in the U.S. The consumer price index released on Wednesday confirmed what consumers, bakers and food companies already knew: an ongoing bird flu outbreak that began in 2022 are making eggs terribly expensive right now. The average price of a dozen Grade A eggs in U.S. cities reached $4.95 in January, eclipsing the previous record of $4.82 set in January 2023. Of course, that is only the nationwide average. A carton of eggs can cost $10 or more in some places. And specialized varieties, such as organic and cage-free eggs, are even more expensive.
Roses are red, violets are blue, 940 million flowers are traveling (through Miami) to you

Roses are red, violets are blue, 940 million flowers are traveling (through Miami) to you

Feb 11, 2025 | 11:05am
MIAMI (AP) — If any husbands or boyfriends mess up Valentine’s Day this week, it’s not because of a shortage of flowers. In the run up to Feb. 14, U.S. Customs and Border Protection says agricultural specialists at Miami International Airport have processed about 940 million stems of cut flowers. Around 90% of the fresh cut flowers being sold for Valentine’s Day in the United States come through Miami, while the other 10% pass through Los Angeles. Roses, carnations, pompons, hydrangeas, chrysanthemums and gypsophila arrive on hundreds of flights, mostly from Colombia and Ecuador, into Miami on their journey to florists and supermarkets across the U.S. and Canada.
On “Farmtok,” agriculture gets its moment in the spotlight. What would it mean if that disappeared?

On “Farmtok,” agriculture gets its moment in the spotlight. What would it mean if that disappeared?

Jan 22, 2025 | 3:36pm
BUCYRUS, Ohio (AP) — As the future of social media platforms such as TikTok remains unknown, a younger generation of farmers is relying on social media to connect with audiences outside agriculture. For some farm influencers, revenue from social media platforms can augment income from farming and can help them connect with audiences that want to better understand where their food comes from.
Farming and wildfire tech is on display at CES as companies showcase their green innovations and initiatives

Farming and wildfire tech is on display at CES as companies showcase their green innovations and initiatives

Jan 9, 2025 | 10:23am
LAS VEGAS (AP) — Sustainability is a key theme this year at the annual CES tech trade show in Las Vegas. Agriculture tech is on full display on the show floor while companies big and small also showcase their green innovations and initiatives. That includes Volvo CEO Martin Lundstedt’s vow to reach net-zero emissions by 2040 and Wisconsin-based OshKosh Corporation’s electric fire engines and garbage trucks. John Deere also unveiled a fleet of fully autonomous equipment like tractors that are already in use on some farms and orchards. Some experts say AI is key to the industry’s future as climate change makes farming more unpredictable.
Listeria outbreak tied to Yu Shang Food leaves California infant dead and 10 people sick

Listeria outbreak tied to Yu Shang Food leaves California infant dead and 10 people sick

Nov 24, 2024 | 7:20am
U.S. health officials said a California infant has died and at least 10 other people have been sickened in an outbreak of listeria food poisoning tied to ready-to-eat meat and poultry products that include chicken feet, duck neck and pork hock, feet and tongue. Yu Shang Food Inc. of Spartanburg, South Carolina, has recalled more than 72,000 pounds of products. The problem was discovered in October after routine tests detected listeria in the foods and the production environment. The CDC said a California woman who was pregnant with twins was sickened and both infants died but listeria was only found in a sample from one of the infants, so that child and the mother were included in the count.
Forget driverless cars. One company wants autonomous helicopters to spray crops and fight fires

Forget driverless cars. One company wants autonomous helicopters to spray crops and fight fires

Nov 19, 2024 | 11:22am
HENNIKER, N.H. (AP) — A New Hampshire company is working to develop a fleet of autonomous helicopters that it hopes can be used to put out fires, spray crops and handle other dangerous jobs. Rotor Technologies has built two of the autonomous helicopters, started running test flights and plans a demonstration of the helicopter at an agriculture trade show in Texas on Wednesday. The company is hoping to sell as many as 20 of the small helicopters next year, most of which would be used by farmers to spray fields with pesticides and fertilizers. To allow those flights, the company is counting on getting Federal Aviation Administration approval by next year.
CDC calls for expanded testing for bird flu after blood tests reveal more farmworker infections

CDC calls for expanded testing for bird flu after blood tests reveal more farmworker infections

Nov 7, 2024 | 5:32pm
Federal health officials are calling for more testing and treatment of workers on farms with bird flu. The new guidance comes after a study showed that some dairy workers had signs of infection, even when they didn’t report feeling sick. Blood tests of 115 workers on farms in Michigan and Colorado showed that eight workers had antibodies that indicated previous infection. The finding suggests the virus may be spreading more widely. Four of the workers reported feeling sick and four reported no symptoms. Officials said the risk to the public remains low.
Daylight saving time ends Sunday. Time to ‘fall back’ an hour

Daylight saving time ends Sunday. Time to ‘fall back’ an hour

Nov 1, 2024 | 8:53pm
Sunday is the time to move clocks back in the U.S. Daylight saving time ends at 2 a.m. local time, which means setting your clock back an hour. Standard time will last until March 9 when we will again “spring forward” with the return of daylight saving time. That spring time change can be tough on your body but the fall change should be easier to adjust to. Most countries don’t make time changes. It’s mostly North America and Europe. In the U.S., there are two exceptions. Arizona and Hawaii stick to standard time year-round.
Voters in Northern California to Vote on Whether to Allow Large-Scale Farms

Voters in Northern California to Vote on Whether to Allow Large-Scale Farms

Sep 30, 2024 | 11:28am
PETALUMA, Calif. (AP) — A proposal to phase out large-scale confined animal farms will be put before voters in a Northern California county. Sonoma County residents will decide whether to approve Measure J. Proponents say the move to phase out what federal authorities call concentrated animal feeding operations is about the humane treatment of animals. Critics say it is a misguided effort that could harm egg farming and dairies in the county and that California already has strict rules to ensure farm animals’ well-being.